Box Score
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – The UTSA volleyball team dropped a five-set match (19-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 13-15) against Coastal Carolina in its first showing at TCU's Cowtown Classic on Friday.
UTSA (0-1) was led by junior setter Amanda Gonzales, picking up a double-double with 50 assists and 10 digs.
Sophomore Brianna McCulloch paced the Roadrunners offensively with 15 kills. Senior Marijeta Runjic followed with 14 while freshman Hannah Froeschl recorded 12.
Defensively, sophomore libero Emily Ramirez guided UTSA with 15 digs while junior Shelby Williams finished with 11. Froeschl led the Roadrunners with five assisted blocks and Runjic posted a game-high four service aces.
Leah Hardeman directed the Chanticleers (1-0) with 23 kills. Kyla Manning added 10 kills and seven digs, while Sydney Alvis finished with 26 digs. Setter Sara Boothe chipped in 34 assists and eight digs.
The Chants grabbed an early 4-0 advantage in the first set and pushed ahead 10-6. Kills from Runjic and McCulloch guided the Roadrunners on a run, bringing UTSA within four at 21-17. However, Coastal Carolina extended to 24-17 and held for a 25-19 win.
A Chant service error and a kill from Froeschl would give UTSA an early lead in the second set, but consecutive UTSA errors allowed Coastal Carolina to steal to lead, 10-4. The Roadrunners would rally to even the score with a service ace from Ramirez and back-to-back kills from Runjic. With the score knotted at 13, the two teams would go point-for-point, tying the set five times. The Chants ultimately took the set, 25-20.
The teams would keep the third set just as close, tying the stanza 10 times. With the score set at 13, a kill from Runjic ignited a 4-1 run for the Runners. Leading 17-14, kills from Froeschl and McCulloch would extend UTSA's lead to 20-16. Capitalizing off of Chant errors and strong offensive efforts from McCulloch Megan Slan, UTSA would seize the set, 25-19.
Set four opened similarly to the third as the teams found themselves tied at 10.UTSA would break away with a pair of aces from Runjic and consecutive kills from McCulloch. Kills from Kara Teal maintained the Roadrunner lead, helping UTSA force a match-deciding fifth set.
Two more service aces from Runjic helped the Roadrunners open the final set with a 4-1 lead, forcing the Chants to call a timeout. Coming off the break, the teams would rally to tie the set at 13, but a pair of kills would give the final set and the match to Coastal Carolina.
The Roadrunners return to the court tonight at 6 p.m. when they take on TCU.
